European space program, Intergovernmental

The European Space Program needs a European launcher alliance to ensure independent access to space, European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton said Tuesday.The launcher alliance will be initiated in the next few months, said Breton, who delivered a keynote speech at the European Space Conference in Brussels, Belgium.The European Union (EU) needs to develop a "more offensive, aggressive, coherent global strategy" about the launchers, according to the commissioner.French launcher Ariane and Italian launcher Vega, although competitive on the global space market, might not be able to rival non-EU competitors in the future."The standards for launchers are currently being redefined outside of Europe. We all know that. We must ask ourselves, will our current approach successfully get us to 2050?" Breton said.Calling for a reflection over the disruptions in the implementation of the space programs, the commissioner preferred fast reaction and intensified discussions about how to keep the EU's position as a key player on the global space stage.Breton said he will gather relative actors in the next months to initiate a European launcher alliance to jointly define with the European Space Agency, the member states, the European parliament and the industry "a common road map for the next generation of launchers and technologies relevant to ensure an autonomous access to space."Space autonomy is "not about closing the door to our partners. It is just about developing and maintaining our infrastructures, technologies, skills, competencies, and reducing critical dependencies on third countries, so we can rely on our own if necessary," he added.Addressing the conference on Tuesday, European Council President Charles Michel stressed that space action is "at the heart of" European strategic autonomy."Less dependence, more influence," he added.The EU plans to spend Euros 14.9 billion (USD 18.2 billion) in the space program in 2021-2027, which will help step up support for a space industrial base from data to the Internet of Things, broadband, Earth observation and launch systems, Michel said. (/Xinhua)( With inputs from ANI )Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Home

City

Latest News

Cricket

LT Premium

National

International

Maharashtra

Opinions

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Nagpur

Entertainment

Photos

Business

Technology

Sports

Lifestyle

Social Viral

Lokmat Games

Health

Marathi Language Controversy

Maharashtra News

Mumbai Local

Weather Update

Mumbai Rains

Ahmedabad Plane Crash

European Space ProgramFOLLOW

European space program, Latest News

International :World's largest iceberg breaks off Antarctica: European Space Agency

An enormous iceberg has calved from the western side of the Ronne Ice Shelf, lying in the Weddell Sea, in Antarctica. ...

International :Vast cracks free huge iceberg in Antarctica

London, Feb 27 Almost a decade after scientists at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) first detected growth of vast ... ...

International :ESA confirms 2 European astronauts to fly to ISS in 2021

The European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed on Thursday that two European astronauts will be based at the International Space Station (ISS) this year, outgoing ESA Director General Jan Woerner said at a press conference. ...

International :EU to initiate launcher alliance to enhance space autonomy

The European Space Program needs a European launcher alliance to ensure independent access to space, European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton said Tuesday. ...